Abstract:

There is increasing evidence that university students are finding it difficult to achieve a deep understanding of the various subjects they are studying. There seems to have been a shift in recent years towards a more direct and practical approach to learning, with theoretical knowledge often relegated to a secondary or peripheral role. In this context, this study aims to give an insight into the main challenges faced by undergraduate students of Civil Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) during their study of the design of concrete structures. Through a meticulous and critical examination of assessment results over two academic years, the specific barriers that hinder students' progress in mastering the fundamental concepts of the course have been identified. It has been observed that students' difficulties in the subject revolve around the fact that the subject requires them to study by understanding concepts, something they are not very used to or trained in. Consequently, students' learning difficulties are not so much in the knowledge of the concepts itself, but in the application of these concepts in questions that require their application or reasoning. This study provides ideas and evidence for identifying threshold or transformative concepts in the discipline of concrete structures. These threshold concepts, once understood, have the potential to fundamentally alter students' perceptions and understanding of the subject matter, facilitating their successful progression. By delving into these learning difficulties, this study takes significant steps towards uncovering the essential concepts that serve as the gateway to a deeper understanding and mastery of the discipline of structural concrete design. Knowledge of these will enable intervention strategies to be put in place to facilitate student learning.

Keywords:

Learning difficulties, civil engineering, concrete structures, threshold concepts, deep learning.